Dan Williams // Name: Dan Williams
Location: Guildford, Surrey, UK
Born and raised in Somerset, I am a Computing student at Plymouth University currently on a year's placement at Allianz in Guildford. I enjoy football, technology, film and really want to go travelling next summer!!
http://techpp.com/2009/10/14/ultimate-list-of-google-wave-gadgets-and-tools/
Awesome list of Google Wave robots which need to be downloaded. Am currently using Google Wave while writing this post and I am really excited to use it more so if anyone else was lucky enough to get an invite for the beta add me at dmwilliams88@googlemail.com.
Microsoft has released a tool to allow netbook owners install Windows 7 on their machines using just a USB flash drive.
The utility, Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, creates a bootable flash drive from a downloaded .iso file, or disk image, of Windows 7, and can be purchased from Microsoft's online store.
"This tool allows you to create a copy of the .iso file to a USB flash drive or a DVD," said Microsoft. "To install Windows 7 from your USB flash drive or DVD, all you need to do is insert the USB flash drive into your USB port or insert your DVD into your DVD drive and run Setup.exe from the root folder on the drive."
The USB/DVD Download Tool solves the problem facing netbooks users who want to upgrade to Windows 7, since virtually all netbooks lack a DVD drive. Earlier this year, rumours circulated that Microsoft might offer Windows 7 upgrades on a flash drive, but the talk turned out to be nothing but wishful thinking.
Users need a 4GB USB drive to install Windows 7 on a PC without an optical drive, Microsoft said. Other requirements include .NET Framework 2.0 or later, and the ability to run as administrator on the to-be-upgraded netbook.
The netbook's BIOS must also be modified to set the boot order so that the USB drive is first on the list. "Please see the documentation for your computer for information on how to change the BIOS boot order of drives," Microsoft recommended.
Last week, Microsoft warned users to seek help if they were unfamiliar with tweaking the BIOS. "If you are not comfortable making this type of BIOS change, I recommend you seek some assistance from your favorite 'tech geek,'" Microsoft spokesman Brandon LeBlanc urged in an entry to the Windows 7 blog.
Because most netbooks run Windows XP, only a "clean" upgrade to Windows - Microsoft dubs it "Custom" during the installation - is possible. That requires users to back up data and application settings before upgrading, then restore the data and settings, as well as reinstall all applications.
The USB/DVD Download Tool is a 947KB file that can be downloaded from Microsoft's site.
Apple really are good at making computer equipment look sexy...
Tired of all the scrolling and swiping? You can turn off the multi-touch features and use Magic Mouse as a conventional point-and-click device too.
Magic Mouse is certainly clever, but questions remain as to how well it'll work in day-to-day usage. Will the multi-touch features enhance the desktop experience, or will they annoy users and get in the way? The Magic Mouse comes with the new iMacs, and sells separately for $69. It's a sleek, low-slung wireless pointer with a smooth top shell. There are no buttons or scroll wheels.
No buttons? Well, not exactly. The top shell is actually one giant button. It's a multitouch sensor that allows you to click anywhere.
The device tracks like a conventional mouse. To right-click or activate a shortcut menu, you click the top-right corner of the mouse. Lefties can configure Magic Mouse to do the same thing with a top-left click.
Magic Mouse brings iPhone-like scrolling to the desktop. To scroll through a Web page or document, you run your finger vertically up and down the mouse's top shell.
To scroll side to side, move your finger horizontally (left or right). And you can scroll a full 360 degrees by moving your finger in a circular motion--handy for viewing and editing large photos.
To magnify your desktop, hold down the control key on the keyboard, and then run a finger upwards on the mouse. To zoom out, run your finger back down.
<<new-apple-macbook_1.jpg>>
Apple has given the MacBook a much needed upgrade to its specs. The processor jumps from 2.13GHz to 2.26 GHz, the HDD from 160GB to 250GB, while the 2GB of DDR2 RAM has been swapped for the same amount of slightly faster DDR3 memory. Visible changes include a new rubber bottom, glass multitouch trackpad, LED backlighting to go with its 13.3-inch display and a non-removable built-in seven hour battery which has already been seen on the MacBook Pro.
From gadgetlite.com
An awesome song from Paramore's new album 'Brand New Eyes'. I have picked this one out because I have listened through the whole album three times now and it really stands out...
After an interesting chat at lunch in work, I decided to have a look at the imminent release of Microsoft Office 2010. There seems to be some cool new features available and everything seems to be getting much more web based including online versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The online versions will have fewer features than the full desktop software but for people unwilling to pay the extortionate price MS charges or plunge into the rough seas that is illegal downloading this is a much friendlier compromise. Windows will truly be getting somewhere when Windows 7 and Office 2010 are standard but painfully it seems it will take some time…..
1. A new navigation pane and search experience
With navigation pane, users can not only quickly switch to the beginning of any chapters by clicking the desired headlines, but also locate your desired text by inserting keywords in the instant search box. As the following image presents, the search words will be highlighted in the text.
2. New graphical goodness
Word 2010 provides users more artistic picture effects and easier picture editing, and more SmartArt diagrams, richer graphical and typographic effects on text are also available.
3. Online simultaneous editing with multiple people
In Word 2010, users can share co-author right within Word documents. Using new co-authoring capabilities, users can edit or modify Word documents with multiple people from different locations at the exact same time. You can see who else is working with you, and where they are editing. In the way, users do not need to hassle with exchanging documents via email attachments when they have to confirm them together.
4. Offline editing and syncing of shared documents online
When you open a shared document, Word 2010 will automatically cache it so that you can edit it offline, and then Word will automatically sync your changes when you come back online. So if you need to work outside the office, you will no longer need to worry about saving local copies or manually merging your changes into the server document when you get back to your office. Word 2010 takes care of all of that for you.
5. Access and edit Word 2010 documents anywhere
In Word 2010, users can store their documents online, then access and edit Word 2010 from practically any Web browser and mobile phones without compromising your document's richness.
The rest of the article is here: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/5+Most+Amazing+New+Features+of+Word+2010-a01073978587
Wednesday night was Allianz Idol at the Stoke Pub in Guildford. I was supremely apprehensive about going but it turned out to be an awesome night where I drank way too much for a Wednesday night....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Excel-Annoyances-Annoying-Favorite-Spreadsheet/dp/0596007280
Came across this when I was searching Google for ways to sort out Excel's irritating features. Is definitely next going on my bookshelf alongside "Programming the Universe" and "The Brief History of Time"……….Yeah…..
